Canton native Cotter making himself at home with NHL’s Devils
Canton native Paul Cotter poses with the Stanley Cup, which he helped win for the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2022-23 season. Cotter has since been traded to New Jersey, for whom he is shining early on.
Canton’s own Paul Cotter leads the National Hockey League in not one, not two, but THREE categories as of Oct. 8.
OK, only two teams have played so far — Cotter’s New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres, who squared off in the 2024-25 season-igniting two-game series in Poland — but, hey, it’ pretty cool nonetheless.
Cotter, the son of Canton residents Paul and Lisa Cotter and the older brother of Mileena and Jack, was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Devils over the summer.
He’s making the best of his new surroundings, racking up two goals and one assist with a +3 plus/minus in his first two games.
As the NHL regular-season schedule kicks off in full force this week, Cotter leads the league in points, goals and plus/minus.
The Devils won both games in Poland leading up to Thursday’s home opener against Toronto.
Assisted by familiar name
Fittingly, Cotter’s second goal of the season — a short-handed, game-winning net-finder in the two-game Poland series’ finale — was assisted by Jack Hughes, who starred for two seasons with the Plymouth-based U.S. National Development Team.
“It’s always good to get that one,” Cotter was quoted on the Devils’ official NHL website. “It was game-winner, was it? That’s awesome.
“I mean, Jack made a hell of a play, so I just tried to get up the ice as fast as I could, and obviously, guys like that are able to make pretty good plays. Just trying to get open for him.”
Prior to the trade to New Jersey, Cotter spent three seasons with Vegas, for which he compiled 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists) in 138 games. He is signed through the 2025-26 season, after which he will be a restricted free agent.
Sharpened skills at Cultural Center
Cotter’s amazing hockey journey started at the Plymouth Cultural Center, where he learned the sport as a 4-year-old.
Cotter returns to Detroit for the first time in a Devils uniform Oct. 24 when the Red Wings host the Devils in a 7 p.m. game.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
